Rajasthan's first pediatric cardiothoracic and vascular surgery unit opens at JK Lon Hospital

Rajasthan's first pediatric cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) unit has been inaugurated at JK Lon Hospital in Jaipur, the state capital. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma inaugurated it during a ceremony held at the RUHS campus. After the ceremony, Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar visited the hospital to inspect the unit.

This unit is dedicated to treating congenital and acquired heart diseases in children and was developed on a turnkey basis at a cost of approximately ₹20 crore under the National Health Mission (NHM) and the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram.

Principal Secretary to the Government Gayatri Rathore stated that the unit includes a cath lab, an operation theater, a 5-bed high dependency unit, a 10-bed intensive care unit, and a 65-bed prefabricated ward. This means pediatric heart patients in the state will no longer need to travel to other states for treatment. Previously, newborns and young children with heart disease at JK Lawn Hospital had to be referred to SMS Hospital for surgery. Due to long waiting times there, children often couldn't receive timely treatment. Moreover, children with serious heart conditions were referred to AIIMS Delhi because government hospitals in Rajasthan lacked the necessary facilities. Now, these children can receive treatment easily at JK Lawn.

Dr. Deepak Maheshwari, Principal and senior cardiologist of Sawai Mansingh Medical College, emphasized the need for a department of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery. Starting this department would make it much easier to treat children. Medical Education Secretary Ambrish Kumar mentioned that the state government is deploying specialist doctors and technical staff to develop this unit into a training centre in the future.